Kathleen Clark

"Kathy asked that in lieu of flowers please make a donation the Kathleen Clark Memorial Fund via personal check. Please send checks to 680 Margarita Ave, Coronado CA, 92118. Donations made to this fund will be dispersed to Kathy's favorite charities; the Wounded Warriors Project and Christ Episcopal Church."

Kathleen Brook Stevens Clark

1940-2015

“I just hope and pray that one student would have found some inspiration in what I taught. That would make me happy.”

Those were the words of a humble Kathy Clark just days before she succumbed to cancer. In fact, Kathy taught nearly 8,000 students over a 46-year career at Coronado Junior High School (Middle School). Her impact on not just one, but on thousands of those students can be seen in the outpouring of affection currently paraded on Facebook.

Kathy Clark was born the day the Germans marched into Paris. She would go on to win the Miss Coronado Beauty Contest and narrowly lose the Miss San Diego title to future Hollywood sex kitten Raquel Welch. She was Marilyn Monroe’s personal assistant during the filming of “Some Like It Hot” at the Hotel del Coronado

Kathy Clark passed Friday, September 4, at Coronado Hospital, surrounded by loved ones. She was 75. Throughout all her many adventures and teaching experiences, her pride and joy was her family.

Born Kathleen Brook Stevens, she was the older of two children to John Douglas Stevens and Eliza Readman Stevens Holcomb. Her father was a naval aviator who had attended prep school, graduated from the Naval Academy and was flying in WWII before his 20th birthday. Kathy adored him.

Under orders from the US Navy, the Stevens family traveled from Virginia to Hawaii; From Washington DC to Imperial Beach; and finally to Coronado. Kathy’s first visit to Coronado was the summer of 1950 at the age of ten. She remembered her parents renting a Palmer House at 425 J, and sneaking into the Hotel del Coronado with her girlfriends at all hours.

“We would run across the rooftop with nothing to hold on to,” she said. “My best girlfriend, Ky Winchester, and I would run from one rooftop turret to the other. We knew every hallway, corridor, tunnel, hiding place, storage room. The Del was different back then. There was a large front porch near the entrance, where old men sat in wicker rockers all day long reading newspapers. We considered the Del our own personal playground.”

Eventually her father bought a home on Margarita Avenue. “It was 1952 or 1953,” remembered Kathy. “It was a brand new home, never before lived in. He paid $20,000. Daddy sold his life insurance policy to get the down payment and he never looked back. It seemed the end of the world, known to locals back then as the Coronado Flats. There was literally nothing down there.”

Kathy attended 7th and 8th grades in Coronado. At the start of 9th grade her father was ordered to DC where she attended Oxen Hill High School for two years.

After that the family moved to Quantico, VA where she attended her junior year at the Department of Defense School. There were 17 people in her class, many of whom she remained close to throughout her adult life.

In 1957 the Stevens family returned to Coronado where Kathy attended her senior year at Coronado High School, graduating in 1958. “I already knew a bunch of people, so it was like coming home,” she said.

One morning Kathy and her girlfriends decided at the last minute to enter the Miss Coronado Beauty Contest. “It was 10 in the morning and the contest was to be held at noon. We said, ‘Let’s just do it,’ and I won.”

Winning Miss Coronado required her to participate in the Miss San Diego Beauty Contest. Here she came in second place to a La Jolla girl named Raquel Tejeda, who would later become legendary Hollywood actress Raquel Welch.

That was a busy year for the reigning Miss Coronado. She worked at the Hotel del Coronado as a hostess and social director. She ran treasure hunts on the beach for children of guests, and showed movies in what used to be the Circus Room.

One day she came to work and her boss said, “You go and be with Marilyn.” He was referring to actress Marilyn Monroe, who was staying at the Del during filming of “Some Like It Hot.”

“I was floored,” said Kathy. “I remember thinking I wish I’d been assigned to Jack Lemmon. During filming I took Marilyn iced tea and dry towels in her private cabana, and became her personal gopher. She was always polite, always thanked me, but I got the feeling she just wanted the day to be over. I remember she wasn’t haughty in the least. Instead, I found her to be very sad, shy and timid. It surprised me, because she was so sexy looking.

“I eventually got to meet Jack Lemmon and Joe E. Brown. I also got to meet Tony Curtis. Of course, he was a major heartthrob. I was so bummed,” she laughed. “He never hit on me even once.” In real life, Kathy was a distant cousin to actresses Betty White and Marion Ross on her grandmother’s side.

Also during her reign as Miss Coronado Kathy was asked to go on a date with actor John Wayne’s son Patrick, then a budding movie star. They spent an entire day waterskiing, dining and attending the Jai Alai games across the border. “I think he made one Western with his dad,” said Kathy. “He was handsome and a real nice guy, but he weren’t [sic] no Duke.”

Another time she was dinner escort to Greece’s Prince Constantine (later King Constantine) - again representing Coronado in her capacity as reigning Miss Coronado.

Kathy attended San Diego State when it was only about 7-8,000 people strong. She majored in English and minored in journalism, graduating in 1962.

After graduation, Kathy applied to Coronado Junior High School for a job as secretary. “John Baker, my 7th grade science teacher, pulled me aside and politely reminded me that I had a college degree. He asked how many words I could type. I think I said ten.

“He said ‘No, no, no. This job isn’t for you. You need to teach’.”

Kathy taught junior high school English for two years before the school district realized what a treasure they had in her. They put her under contract and she taught another 40 years full time - two at the high school and the rest at the junior high. Even after her retirement she returned as a substitute teacher for another four years.

“Clearly this was what I was meant to do. It was heaven,” she often said of the blessings of being able to teach so many children. Truly this was a special woman who leaves behind a special legacy. As this is being written, hundreds of messages are flooding in describing her as “great teacher,” “changed my life forever,” “taught me lessons I’ve taught my own children and grandchildren,” “my favorite teacher,” “Her grace, elegance and beauty were known to everyone who ever met her.” Some even recited lessons she had taught them decades ago, such as the list of 23 helping verbs she made children memorize.

Among the organizations Kathy supported were the Armed Services YMCA’s Avant Garde, Coronado Republican Women, the Wounded Warrior Foundation and Noah Homes.

She was extremely active in her church, Coronado’s Christ Episcopal Church, teaching cooking to enlisted women on limited incomes, providing Christmas for children whose fathers were deployed, and staging an off-season Christmas for them when their fathers returned. She also served on the Vestry, taught Sunday school and ran the children’s choir.

Kathy Clark is survived by her husband Ron Clark, who she was fond of describing as, “The one and only true love of my life.” Her younger brother Doug Stevens of San Diego also survives her.

"She is survived by her son Jon Clark and wife Joy of Hawaii; her Son Bill Clark and wife Marina of San Diego; and her daughter Jennifer Buzby and husband Rob of Coronado. Along with 10 wonderful grandchildren, and one great grandchild."

Services will be held September 19 at 2 p.m., at Coronado Christ Episcopal Church and there will be a celebration of Kathy’s life October 24 at 2:00p.m., at the Coronado Yacht Club.

The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Kathy Clark Memorial Fund (www.humphreymortuary.com), from which contributions will be shared with Christ Episcopal Church and the Wounded Warrior Project.

Photo Caption:

Kathy Clark, an extraordinary person with a mission to make our children better people. She taught nearly 8,000 Coronado kids.